1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electromagnetic flowmeter for electrically measuring a flow rate of a fluid flowing through a measurement tube.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An electromagnetic flowmeter measures a flow rate of a conductive fluid flowing through a measurement tube by utilizing a so-called Faraday's electromagnetic induction effect produced by excitation coils. Therefore, the electromagnetic flowmeter can measure the flow rate of any fluid having a conductivity higher than a predetermined electric conductivity. For this reason, with regard to corrosion and wear due to a fluid flowing through the flowmeter, various insulating materials for lining the inner circumferential wall of the measurement tube to protect the coils are available. However, in such an electromagnetic flowmeter, when either a lining material is not suited for a type of fluid to be measured, or when the measurement tube is to be exchanged due to wear of the lining, the flowmeter must be returned to its manufacturer and the affected lining replaced. In a conventional electromagnetic flowmeter such a replacement is time-consuming for an end user and seriously interferes with the availability of the measurement capability. Specifically, the lead wire for the electromagnetic field developing coil in the electromagnetic flowmeter must be carefully handled during the lining replacement since it may be damaged or disconnected. Further, the disassembly and reassembly of the flowmeter requires time consuming and highly skilled operations. Accordingly, in order to avoid such inherent shortcomings of the prior art, it would be desirable to provide an electromagnetic flowmeter having a structure providing a simplified assembly and disassembly capability.